Asian Development Bank and Malaysia: Fact Sheet

Abstract

Updated yearly, this ADB Fact Sheet provides social and economic indicators on the Malaysia as well as concise information on ADB's operations in the country and contact information. Malaysia is an upper middle-income country with a record of strong economic performance and poverty reduction and a goal of transforming itself into a high-income and developed nation by 2020. The economy expanded at a robust 5.8% annual rate in the 5 years to 2008, contributing to a reduction in overall poverty (based on the national poverty line) from 5.7% in 2004 to 3.6% in 2007. However, in 2009, gross domestic product contracted by 1.7% as a result of the downturn in world economic activity and the country’s dependence on world trade. In this regard, the country’s target of reducing the poverty rate to 2.8% by 2010 (Ninth Malaysia Plan 2006–2010) may be more difficult to attain. Nevertheless, the country has largely achieved its Millennium Development Goals ahead of the target date of 2015. The country was ranked 66 (out of 182 countries) in the United Nation’s 2007 Human Development Index.